FAQ’s

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Registration

My child wants to play with players in his grade instead of his age group. What do I do?

A player’s league age is determined by the player’s age as of April 30, 2016. Players whose league age is a year below their grade in school may “play up” an age group under the Age/Grade Rule. This is the only circumstance where a player may play outside of his league age without approval from the Board of Directors of NJB.

If a player wishes to “play up” under the Age/Grade rule, you may register under the Age/Grade Play-Up Registration selection. This will require multiple steps. Once you register, you will go on a waiting list for review and approval by the league president. Once approved, you will be notified by email and will need to go back into the system and checkout for this league. We will then adjust the registration and assign the player to the approved league which will apply the appropriate fees which will create an invoice for you. You can then log back in one more time to pay the invoice. If you have questions about the Age/Grade rule, please contact us at registration@newburghjuniorbaseball.com.

When will the 2016 season start?

Opening Day for all leagues is currently scheduled for April 16th. T-Ball Opening Day may occur a couple of weeks later as in past years.

How do I sign my child up to play NJB in 2016?

This year we have partnered with SI Play, a division of Sport Illustrated to provide and easy to use online registration system. To register, go to njb.siplay.com and follow the Register Online link.

What is the deadline for signups for 2016?

Open registration will run until February 28th. All players signed up and paid by this date will be guaranteed a spot on a team. Registrations will continue to be accepted after this date until leagues are full or teams have been formed. Registrations received after February 28th will be assessed a $15 late fee.

How can I find out if my child can play and what league he/she will participate in?

Newburgh Junior Baseball is for players from age 4 to 15. NJB is affiliated with Babe Ruth, Inc which along with most other youth baseball leagues has set April 30th as the age determination date. Thus, the player’s age on April 30th will be the age group the player is assigned to for the season. To see a simple Age Determination Chart, visit our Registration page.

What NJB league will my child play in and what play format will be used?

There are six NJB leagues by age as follows:

Babe Ruth (13, 14, 15) – 60/90 field format

League I (11-12) – 50/70 field format

League II (9-10) – live pitch, 46/60 field format

League III (7-8) – pitching machine

League IV (6) – instructional pitching machine

T-Ball (4-5) – T-Ball

What do I do if I have issues registering online?

If you have issues using the online registration site, contact registration@newburghjuniorbaseball.com and we’ll be happy to help you through the process.

Can my child be “cut” by the league based on their skill level?

No. All players properly registered and paid before registration is ended for a respective league will be rostered.

How are teams formed?

For Leagues I, II, III and Babe Ruth, players will be drafted by head coaches according to rules set by the league Board of Directors geared toward achieving as much parity among teams as possible. Players in these leagues will attend a brief skills evaluation which gives all coaches a chance to judge their relative skills. Evaluations from each coach are compiled by the league president and shared with all coaches. T-Ball and League IV team rosters will be set by the respective league president.

Can I request my child be assigned to a specific team, coach, or with other players?

Each head coach’s child will be assigned to his/her team. Siblings within a league will be assigned to the same team. For all other players in Leagues I, II, III, and Babe Ruth, players are drafted in a sequential format, therefore it is impossible to guarantee assignment on a team with other specific players. In League IV and T-Ball, requests for assignment to a team with specific players can generally be accommodated.

What is the purpose of the skills evaluation?

NJB strives to create a safe, instructional, and enjoyable baseball experience for every player in the league. To this end, we believe that creating as much parity among the aggregate skill level of teams in each league is important. The skills evaluation is a critical step in this process where coaches in the league can observe each player to evaluate their strengths and developmental needs. This helps place a player at the appropriate level in the team selection process.

How long will skills evaluation last?

Each player will be guided through a handful of stations involving fielding, throwing, hitting, and running which will take 10-15 minutes. However, at times, traffic can be heavy and wait times can extend for as much as 30-45 minutes. Once you have completed the evaluation stations, you are free to leave.

What should my player bring and wear to the evaluation?

The skills evaluation will take place in the CHS gym. Players should wear comfortable clothing and athletic shoes. DO NOT WEAR CLEATS! Hats are not required. Players should bring their glove and a bat if they have one. If they do not have equipment yet, just let any of the coaches present know and they will help.

What if cannot make the skills evaluation?

Attendance is required for all players ages 7 through 15. In the event you are out of town that weekend, please notify the league president for your league either directly via email or through the Contact Us page on the website.

NJB All-Star Season

What Is Changing?

In an effort to provide the opportunity for players to play at a more competitive level throughout the season, NJB has approved changes to the structure and process for selecting all-star teams. One “Select” team in each age group will be formed in the fall before the NJB regular season and be allowed to practice and play as a team before and after the NJB regular season. In leagues where enough players and coaches are interested, a second “All-Star” team will be formed later in the season and play in tournaments once the regular season is completed.

How will players be selected for the Select teams?

A series of mandatory tryouts will be scheduled starting in October for all players wanting to play on the Select team. A selection committee composed of the team manager, appointed coaches, league president, and two board members appointed by the Vice-Commissioner will evaluate all players and select nine players for the team. The team manager will pick three to six additional players to fill out the roster.

How will players be selected for the All-star teams?

A few weeks into the regular season a call will go out for postseason all-star self-nominations as has been done in the past. Interested players will be required to attend mandatory try-out sessions in May. The team will be selected by the same or similar committee to the one that selects the Select team.

How will managers be selected?

The manager will be voted upon by a committee appointed by the Vice-Commissioner. The manager will appoint two assistant coaches for the team. All managers and coaches must be approved by the board of directors.

Will the teams play in tournaments during the regular season?

Based on rule changes approved by the board, Select Teams will not play in external tournaments during the Spring season in 2016. All Select and All-Star teams from 7U to 13U will be invited to play in the NJB Memorial Day tournament but will not play in other tournaments until after the regular season concludes. The 6U division will be eliminated from the NJB Memorial Day tournament.

How will this affect regular season teams and play?

The league will play all weekends from opening day through the end of the season with the exception of Memorial Day weekend. Select team members will not play in external tournaments during the Spring League season in 2016.